Using leftovers from the holidays can be, well...let's say uninspiring at best. Adding just a little imagination, some creativity, and a healthy dose of fearlessness can transform those leftovers into meals your family will look forward to more than the original dinner.

A well roasted turkey provides the perfect meat for a pizza. Meats used in pizza are either pre-cooked, or cured because of the pizza’s very fast, high temperature cooking.

So if we take our properly cooled, well-seasoned turkey, dice the meat, and get it playing around with some pesto and a great crust we will have an incredible pizza that no pizza lover can walk away from.

I understand that pesto, tomatoes, and bell peppers are summer vegetables, but thanks to modern growing techniques we have access to these ingredients year around.

Note: Instead of trying to make fresh pesto, pick up a jar or two of Classico prepared pesto. It’s delicious, your welcome.

Note: If all of the pizza dough is not needed, simply freeze the unused portion.

Combine the dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl and stir to combine.

Add the olive oil to the water and slow add to running mixer.

Mix until the dough forms a ball, then knead for an additional two minutes.

Pizza method:

Preheat oven to 500°

Form 1lb of dough into a 14-15″ circle using hands or rolling pin, or a combination of the two.

Place the dough into a pizza pan.

Spread 3 tbsp of pesto on the dough, and I don’t mean the tablespoons that you measure with. I mean the tablespoons you eat gumbo with.

Place 5-6 rounds of provolone on the pesto.

Top with a combination of vegetables.

Finish with 2C of shredded cheese.

Bake for 10-12 minutes or until light charring is seen on the crust.

Slice and serve immediately.

A pizza crust is a blank canvas as for as cooking is concerned. The above is just a suggestion, by all means go crazy. Have your way with that pizza crust. Want to throw some of that leftover green bean casserole on there? I won’t tell.

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With 5 years as a working chef and a lifetime of food experience, Curt Guillory's passion for all things edible is without question. Curt is an authority on Cajun, French, and Italian cuisines. Contact him: slawriter@gmail.com